Holding device for messageconveying papers



W 19511 w. w. HURTEL HOLDING DEVICE FDR MESSAGE-CONVEYING PAPERS Filed Aug. 11. 194? I Ilka/2M 1% #04751, L I I amen W00 Mama;

Patented May 29, 1951 HOLDING DEVICE FOR MESSAGE- CONVEYING PAPERS William W. Hurtel, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application August 11, 1947, Serial No. 768,034

3 Claims. (Cl. 211-11) This invention relates to a holding device for message conveying papers and the like and miscellaneous small articles.

Speaking more specifically, the invention pertains to a holding device mountable upon any vertically extending surface, usually the outer surface of a wall, door or door facing of an office, shop or dwelling; or to be placed upon a desk, table or any flat surface and furnished with a spring member loosely engageable with a side portion of the device so as to be used to press against and retain safely within the device in an easy and conveniently accessible and releasable manner, envelopes, papers and other small articles for delivery to the proper person.

An important object of the invention is to provide a simplified, less expensive spring means releasably to keep in place the papers or other articles until they are delivered to the proper person.

Heretofore message supporting devices have been constructed and marketed for attachment to dwellings and offices adjacent to their entrances, but such devices have not been so simple, attractive and satisfactory as to cause them to have come into general use. This invention is intended to furnish to the public a device of the above stated kind so inexpensive to produce, efficient and convenient in its use, and so durable and attractive that it will find a more ready market and general demand. There are a great many uses and purposes for which the device may be used around homes, apartments, stores and offices, and also public buildings where no such convenience is at present provided.

Owing to its extremely low cost of manufacture and its features of convenience this device can advantageously be furnished by concerns wishing to place their messages or advertising in it; such, for instance, as association papers, working groups, downtown and community merchants.

This device is also well suited for use as a desk adjunct.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention will hereinafter appear.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the complete device.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation looking at the left side of the device as viewed in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail on line i l of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a perspective detail of a rebent attaching end portion of the spring,

Fig. 6 is a perspective detail of the end portion of the spring opposite to that shown in Fig. 5.

Referring in detail to the drawing a one piece sheet metal frame 1, of form-retaining sheet material, has a longer upstanding back plate portion 8, a shorter upstanding front plate portion 9, and a horizontal base plate portion II].

A spring means II is provided to releasably hold in place within the frame message-conveying papers, or other articles; an envelope [2 being shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 gripped between the spring means and the aforesaid back plate 8 of the device. Said spring means is shown comprising a partly coiled into itself resilient metal strip made up of a main looped part i3, one end portion Hi of which, when the spring is in its mounted position overlies a space l5 between horizontal upper and lower slots [6 and I! through the front plate 9, this part of the spring having a rebent extremity 18 extending downwardly from slot [6 and overlapping the inner surface of the plate 9, which arrangement serves to hold the spring in its mounted position.

The curl carrying, opposite end portion of the spring loop I3 is passed through the aforesaid slots [6 and I! in such a way as to have, adjacent to its curl l9, an exposed run 20 overlying the aforesaid spring portion l4; and beneath the aforesaid slot H, a concealed run 2|, whence the spring means passes downwardly and out through a third (lowest) slot 22 terminating in said curl I9 which forms a fingerhold.

When the article is used as a desk adjunct, or to be put on any flat surface, it is provided with a base 25 which may be made of wood or any other suitable material, for example a plastic substance with fasteners such as screws 26 passing through the base plate It and anchored into said base 25. The front edge 21 of said base is shown vertical, flush with the front plate 9, and if desirable with a slight depression in the center of front to clear spring, while the remaining edge portion of the base is shown circular and projects outwardly from the metallic part 1 of the device, and is beveled as shown at 28.

By preference and as shown, the upper edge portion of the plate 8 has an ornamental wavy edge 29, and the plate 9 has a like wavy edge 30, there being a central rise 3| in the wavy edge of 29 and a central depression 32 in the wavy edge 30. It will be seen that the various waves and depression of these two edge portions mate with each other in such a way as to avoid waste of material in cutting out the blanks for the sheet metal frame I.

The back plate 8 is provided with apertures 33 to receive screws for attaching the device (minus its base) to an upstanding support, for example, to the outer side Of the front door, or door facing of a dwelling. In the latter situation it will be used to receive, support and deliver message-carrying papers and other articles of a character that can be placed in between the spring loop [3 and the front surface of the back plate 8.

When the base 25 is detached the article is suited for attachment to an upstanding support with its back plate 8 abutting against said support.

When so attached the diameter of the spring loop may be adjusted to a smaller size than that shown in the drawingby pulling downwardly or outwardly upon the curled portion IQ of the spring.

When the base 25 is detached, the plate portion 10 functionsas a base. In either case there 'is formed, behind the arched top of the spring and in front of the rear plate It, a downwardly tapering space into which envelopes and the like may be releasably wedged. The pressure of the spring against such wedged-in articles is augmented by reason of the fact that it is circularly shaped and its front side is attached to the front member '9 above the plate In and below the arched its operative position wherein it serves releasably to keep in place articles wedged between it and the said rear plate portion of the frame.

2. The subject matter of claim 1, and said spring being shaped as a loop one of the end portions of which may be manually extended and retracted to vary the size of said loop.

3. In an article of the kind described, a frame consisting of a base, an upstanding front member carried by said base, an upstanding rear member carried by said base, and a leaf spring bent into an approximately circular shape, the end portions of said spring being directed toward and attached to said front plate at points all of which are spaced above said base and below the upper side of said spring, so that both the upper and top of the spring so that a rearward pressure metal frame having a base and connected front and rear plate portions upstanding from said base; and a leaf spring mounted upon said frame between said front and rear frame portions, said front portion of said frame having through it horizontal, vertically spaced apart slots and said I spring having overlapping end portions passing through said slots thus holding said spring in lower curvatures of the spring exert a pressure tending yieldingly to urge the rear portion of the spring toward and against said rear upstanding member, the latter member having a Vertically extending front face, thus providing a downwardly tapering space in front of said rear member downwardly into which envelopes and the like may be releasably wedged.

WILLIAM W. HURTEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,271,508 Hall July 2, 1918 1,664,650 Van Korlaar Apr. 3, 1928 1,725,241 Alverson Aug. 20, 1929 2,209,953 Youngquist Aug. 6, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 457,202 Great Britain Nov. 23, 1936 

